2 comets will be visible to the naked eye
The Moscow Planetarium published an astronomical forecast for 2024, noting the most striking astronomical events. As the press service noted, 2024 should be another year of maximum solar activity, which means we have a chance to see the next large sunspots and their groups.
Also in a year we will witness four eclipses – two solar and two lunar. The first eclipse will be total and will take place on April 8 from 19:39 to 22:55 Moscow time. Residents of North America and some islands in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans will be able to observe the total phase. The eclipse will be observed in western Europe, North America, northern South America, the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, and the Arctic. On October 2, there will be an annular eclipse of the Sun from 18:44 to 00:46 Moscow time, visible from southern Chile and southern Argentina.
Only two lunar eclipses will be visible from Russian territory. The first lunar eclipse can be seen in eastern Russia, and the second – in the West. March 25 – penumbral eclipse of the Moon from 07:53 to 12:32 Moscow time. In our country, the eclipse will be observed in the Far East. September 18 – partial eclipse of the Moon, when part of the lunar disk passes through the Earth's shadow between 05:13 and 06:16 Moscow time. This lunar eclipse is unfavorable for observations from the territory of our country, since it will not be completely visible and only in Western Siberia and the European part of Russia.
The largest full moons of 2024 will be observed in the fall – September 18 and October 17. The closest coincidence of the full moon phase with the perigee of the moon's orbit will occur on October 17 and the largest full moon of 2024, the Supermoon, will be visible.
Of the major meteor showers, the best to observe will be the Perseids, which peak on August 12th. The Quadrantids are expected on January 3, the Lyrids on April 22, October 8 — Draconids, October 21 — Orionids, November 17 — Leonids and December 14 — Geminids.
Also in Russia it will be possible to observe 2 comets with the naked eye. In early April we will see comet 12P/Pons-Brooks, and in mid-October and until mid-November – C/2023 A3.